Lessons From the Farm

I grew up on a farm in Texas where problems showed up whether you invited them or not. Pipes froze, animals got loose, engines stalled, and the weather changed its mind whenever it felt like it. We did not have a long list of experts to call. We had to figure things out with whatever we had on hand.

Looking back, I realize that those everyday challenges shaped the way I think as an entrepreneur. You learn to work together, test ideas quickly, and trust your creativity. You learn that failure is not a dead end. It is just another step toward a better solution.

Most importantly, you learn to stop assuming that the first answer is the only answer. That mindset has guided me through my entire career, from engineering to business operations to the work I do today helping companies find clarity and traction through JB Services.

Creativity Grows in Places With Few Resources

People often think creativity thrives only in environments filled with endless options. In my experience, the old adage “necessity is the mother of invention” holds true and more limited resources allows creativity to truly thrive. When you do not have the perfect tool, you learn to make one. When you cannot buy a new machine, you figure out how to repair the old one. When money is tight, you rethink the entire process instead of just throwing more resources at the problem. 

That kind of forced creativity is incredibly valuable in business. Companies of all sizes run into resource constraints. Budgets tighten, timelines compress, markets shift, or the team is stretched thin. Leaders who have learned to innovate with less can navigate those moments with confidence. They do not panic. They get curious. They look at the challenge from new angles and readily seek insight from others regardless of position.

Old Problems Are Often Just Misunderstood

I have found that most business problems that I and the other professionals at JB Services are brought in to help resolve are not actually new. They are the same struggles people have faced for decades, just wrapped in new language and presented in a new environment. Miscommunication, unclear processes, low accountability, and misaligned teams look different in the digital age, but at their core they are the same challenges businesses have always had.

What makes the difference is how you approach them. Instead of asking, “Who caused this?” I ask, “What is really happening here?” That simple shift creates new opportunities. It opens doors to solutions that were overlooked because everyone was focused on blame instead of understanding.

A lesson from the farm. If a machine broke, we did not waste time arguing about whose fault it was. We focused on fixing it. Then we looked for ways to prevent it from happening again. That approach has saved more business teams than I can count.

New Thinking Starts With Observation

Farming teaches you to notice things. You notice when the soil looks different, when an animal behaves strangely, or when the engine makes a sound it should not make. That same sense of observation translates directly into business problem solving.

When I meet with a company, I spend a lot of time listening and watching. People reveal more in their actions than in their words. Processes reveal more in their friction points than in their flow charts. Once you start observing without judgment, patterns surface quickly.

Those patterns often lead to simple but powerful solutions. You might discover that a team is struggling because two departments interpret the same goal differently. Or you might find that a recurring issue is caused by a single unclear policy. Once the root cause is visible, progress becomes possible through open communication and collaborative issue resolution.

Turning Constraints Into Opportunities

One of the biggest misconceptions about entrepreneurship is that opportunity only comes from big ideas. In reality, some of the best opportunities come from everyday frustrations.

At Run Specialty Group, we built systems because we were tired of reinventing the wheel every time we brought in a new store. That frustration became the foundation for predictable growth. At RNK Running, we built community partnerships because we noticed a gap in local support for school programs. What started as a simple desire to help turned into a defining part of the business.

Creative problem solvers see constraints as invitations. Limited time makes you prioritize. Limited money forces discipline. Limited people encourage collaboration. When your back is against the wall, your mind gets sharper.

The Value of Being Willing to Try

One skill I carried from the farm into business is the willingness to try something, even if you are not completely sure it will work. When you grow up fixing things with spare parts, you understand that progress comes from experimentation. You try, you test, you learn, and you adjust.

In business, leaders often get stuck because they want the perfect solution before they take action. But perfection rarely shows up on the first attempt. Trying builds momentum, and momentum creates confidence.

When I guide companies through turnarounds or periods of uncertainty, I encourage them to test ideas quickly. Not reckless experiments but thoughtful ones. When teams feel safe to try, creativity blossoms.

Every Problem Holds a Possible Solution

If there is one lesson I hope people take from my journey, it is that problems are not roadblocks. They are signals. They point you toward opportunities for improvement, innovation, and growth.

The trick is to approach them with curiosity instead of frustration. Ask questions. Look deeper. Rethink assumptions. Listen to teammates. The solution might not be obvious at first, but it is almost always there.

I owe much of my leadership style to those early years on the farm. They taught me to see problems as challenges rather than failures. They taught me that resourcefulness is one of the strongest skills you can carry into adulthood. And they taught me that old problems often need new thinking, not new complaints.

Building a Business on Creative Confidence

The leaders who thrive are not the ones who avoid challenges. They are the ones who learn from them. They are the ones who stay calm under pressure, who stay curious when things get messy, and who see opportunity where others see obstacles.

Creative problem solvers turn everyday challenges into business opportunities because they understand that solutions are rarely born from comfort. They come from grit, observation, and the willingness to try something new.

If there is anything my farm upbringing taught me, it is this. The challenges in front of you are not the end of the road. They are the beginning of your next breakthrough.